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How To Effectively Respond To Customer Reviews

When it comes to interaction online as a representation of your brand, it’ s important to note that you should be as consistent in your responses regarding both positive and negative reviews. Customer reviews are an integral tool which you can always use to your advantage. Here are four great tips to keep in mind when responding.

1. Be Sincere

The last thing you should be doing when engaging with an unhappy (or happy) customer is to perpetuate the disconnect between your business and your customer. You need to at all times reflect that they are a valued customer. By extending your service beyond a once-off interaction, you strengthen the connection with the customer and increase the likelihood of them returning to you again. If a customer is unhappy, be sincere and act quickly. If they are pleased, thank them for their response. Keeping sincerity a top priority will always work in your favour.

2. Do Not Get Defensive/Emotionally Involved

Don’ t ever get into a heated discussion online. When dealing with someone who has written a negative review, remain attentive, sincere and keep emotion out of it. The customer has free reign in this scenario to say whatever it is that they like. They are only representing themselves, whereas your response holds your entire brand at stake. The odds are not in your favour and as such, you need to tread lightly in the process of controlling the situation so as to maintain composure and diffuse the “conflict” as soon as possible.

3. Stay Positive & Polite

When acting on behalf of your brand and business, create a polite personality and embrace it. With a positive review, react in kind by being thankful and pleasant. Do your best to reiterate the experience they’ ve had by encouraging them to return, adding a small anecdote or anything that will ensure that that impression lasts beyond the event.With a negative review, be appreciative of the feedback and approach it in the manner of adding it to your brand’ s experience as a means of bettering the customer service in future encounters. Do your best here to apologise, encourage them to return for a better experience and be grateful for their input.

4. Flip The Script

With a negative review, you have an opportunity to spin it in your favour by turning the comment around by highlighting your strengths. For example, ‘ I’ m sorry you had a bad experience. We’ ve been in business 25 years, we serve thousands of customers a week, and we strive to create the best possible dining experience for the community.’ At the end of the day mistakes do happen in every faction of the customer service field, but when you use it as an opportunity to show your efforts to better your company and brand, it will be processed better than an aloof response that neither satiates nor diffuses the anger of the reviewer/customer.

Remember to see each review as a chance to improve your brand and focus on ways to do this by remaining true to your brand and sincere to your clientele.